The local church is God’s plan A for life change in any community.

Ephesians 4:15

We will grow to become in every respect, the mature body of Him who is the head, that is Christ.

Big Idea

The body of Christ is only as healthy as its individual members are, therefore, each part has to do its part.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

The fact of unity: One body…many members.

Even so, there is great diversity in the body of Jesus Christ, both in appearance and function, yet each member has a common root and a common goal.

1 Corinthians 12:15-20

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.

Not only is diversity in the body of Jesus Christ acceptable, it is essential.

1 Corinthians 12:21-26

And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

We should care for one another because we are all part of the same body. It means to have a heart towards, and sympathy with, our fellow members, though they be different. Unity in diversity.

1 Corinthians 12: 25-27 MSG

The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance. You are Christ’s body—that’s who you are! You must never forget this.

Big Idea

The body of Christ is only as healthy as its individual members are, therefore, each part has to do its part.

Action Steps

1. Has there ever been a time when you compared your “part” of the body of Christ to another “part” of the body of Christ? And desired the gift God gave them?
   ‍If so, confess it to God. Ask Him to use you.
2. Do you have a heart towards, and sympathy with, a fellow member of the body of Christ, though they be different?
   ‍If you struggle with that, God already knows, so tell Him and ask Him to change your heart.
3. Are you listening and obeying the Head of the body? If so, you will help  keep the body healthy, functioning well as a whole. As the Head of each believer, Christ not only desires to develop your inner life but also to direct and empower your activity.
   If not, take a moment to confess your lack of desire to obey Him in everything and ask Him to take His rightful place in your life.